Flow cytometry crossmatching to investigate kidney-biopsy-proven, antibody-mediated rejection in patients who develop de novo donor-specific antibodies. Usureau C1, Jacob V1, Clichet V1, Presne C2, Desoutter J1, Poulain C2, Choukroun G2, Guillaume N3.
Author information 1Department of Haematology and Histocompatibility, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, France; EA Hematim, Jules Verne University of Picardie, Amiens, France.2Department of Nephrology and Transplantation, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, France.3Department of Haematology and Histocompatibility, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, France; EA Hematim, Jules Verne University of Picardie, Amiens, France. Electronic address: guillaume.nicolas@chu-amiens.fr.
Abstract INTRODUCTION: The appearance of de novo donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen antibodies (dnDSAs) after kidney transplantation is independently associated with poor long-term allograft outcomes. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the predictive value of a flow cytometry crossmatching (FC-XM) assay after the appearance of dnDSAs related to antibody-mediated allograft rejection (ABMR) after kidney transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 89 recipients with dnDSAs after transplantation were included. The crossmatching results were compared with the dnDSA profile (the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI), the complement-binding activity, and the IgG subclass profile) and the biopsy's morphological features. RESULTS: Of the 89 patients, 59 (66%) were positive in an FC-XM assay, 17 (19%) had complement-binding DSAs, 55 (62%) were positive for IgG1 and/or IgG3 in a solid phase assay, and 45 (51%) had morphological biopsy features linked to ABMR. CONCLUSION: An FC-XM assay was unable to discriminate between cases with or without ABMR on biopsy findings; it had a low positive predictive value (<70%) and a low negative positive predictive value (<42.9%), taking into account the sensitivity of our assay (limit of detection: DSAs with an MFI >3000). In this context, the height of the MFI of the dnDSAs might be enough for a high positive predictive value for ABMR and additional testing for complement binding activity can remain optional. J ournal Transpl Immunol. 2020 May 5:101303. doi: 10.1016/j.trim.2020.101303
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